Allocation of Cognitive Resources in Translation

This study is an empirical investigation of translators’ allocation of cognitive resources,
and its specific aim is to identify predictable behaviours and patterns of uniformity in
translators’ allocation of cognitive resources in translation. The study falls within the
process-oriented translation paradigm and within the more general field of cognitive
psychology. Based on models of working memory, attentional control, language
comprehension and language production, a theoretical framework was developed on
which hypotheses were formulated and evaluated. The study’s empirical investigation fell
into three major analyses, which each dealt with one aspect of translators’ allocation of
cognitive resources: distribution of cognitive resources, management of cognitive
resources and cognitive load. Three indicators were identified: total attention duration (TA
duration measured in seconds) indicates the distribution of cognitive resources; attention
unit duration (AU duration measured in milliseconds) indicates the amount of time
allocated between two attention shifts; and pupil size (measured in millimetres) indicates
cognitive load, i.e. workload on working memory....